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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rotto(u)n, n. Also: -en, -in and roten. [e.m.E.rotten (?a1500); Ratto(u)n n.] A rat. Also proverb. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Sorex, a rotton, a schro 1610 Reg. Privy C. IX 2.
[To use their] trade and industrie of making of hekkillis and utheris ingynnis for taking of rottonis and myce 1639 Sc. Ant. III 133.
In this caue ar no rottons seen at anie tyme althought the land be wonderfull fertill a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1673) 15 (Jam.).
Glis, a rotten 1649 Sc. N. & Q. III 122.
A mikle black thing … lyk a great rottenproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 445.
Dicht your baird ye have weirit a rotton

b. attrib. and comb.See also Rottoun raw.(1) 1573 Edinb. Test. III 17.
Rottounpoisone 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 196.
Thow art accusit, for ressauing of the rottoun poysoune [Digest Justiciary Proc. rattoun poyssoun] 1649 Justiciary Cases III 811.
Poyseonyng thame … with arsenak or rottin possone 1672 Glasgow Barbers 22.(2) 1611 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 148.
Lent the clerk the rottonfall 1621 Ib. 169.
Roten fall a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 9.
Decipula, a rotten fall(3) 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 258.
That rottin faiced whoore 1686 Ib. 3 Ser. XIII 67.
Ane … horss rotten collored